1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to methods, apparatuses, and/or articles of manufacture for use in providing peer device supported location-based service provider check-in capabilities.
2. Information
The Global Positioning System (GPS) represents one type of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which along with other types of satellite positioning systems (SPS) provide or otherwise support signal-based position location capabilities (e.g., navigation functions) in mobile devices, and particularly in outdoor environments. However, since some satellite signals may not be reliably received and/or acquired by a mobile device within an indoor environment or other like mixed indoor/outdoor environments, different techniques may be employed to enable position location services.
For example, mobile devices may attempt to obtain a position fix by measuring ranges to three or more terrestrial transmitters (e.g., wireless access points, beacons, cell towers, etc.) which are positioned at known locations. Such ranges may be measured, for example, by obtaining a MAC address from signals received from such transmitters and obtaining range measurements to the transmitters by measuring one or more characteristics of signals received from such transmitters such as, for example, signal strength, a round trip delay time, etc.
In certain implementations, other information may be provided to a mobile device as it enters a particular location (e.g., as tracked by a remote location server, etc.) using geofencing techniques, for example. If a particular location is in a venue location such as an airport terminal, indoor shopping mall, a particular store, etc., for example, such other information may include advertisements, messages with special offers or a directory of stores and/or establishments and products/services offered by same.
Location based service providers, such as, for example, Foursquare™, Gowilia™ and Booyah™ have introduced a venue location “check-in” process by which a mobile device entering a venue location checks-in to announce and/or record a entry or presence of the mobile device (e.g., and its user) in the venue location. Such check-in events may be used for any one of several purposes such as, for example, collecting statistics of individual venue location customers, etc. Users who frequent a particular venue location as reflected by check-in statistics may receive special privileges, discounts, etc. In certain instances, a location based service provider may, for example, have some agreement with one or more business or other like entities located at or near a particular venue location, and users who check-in from such venue locations maybe provided with an electronic coupon which may be redeemed at one of the business or other like entities. In certain instances, a location based service provider may, for example, provide social networking capabilities in which friends or buddies of a user may be informed (e.g., via electronic message) that the user has checked-in from a venue location.
In a particular example, a mobile device associated with a user/customer may obtain a position fix using one or more of the above referenced techniques, for example. Symbols representing multiple near by venue locations may then be displayed on the mobile device such as with indicators over a displayed map of the general area. A user may then select one of the displayed venue locations (e.g., by selecting an associated symbol on a touch screen or via other like user interface), and a check-in message may be transmitted from the mobile device to a computing device of the location based service provider.
One potential drawback of such a check-in processes is that an initial location of the mobile device (e.g., obtained by a position fix at the mobile device) may not be sufficiently accurate to determine which venue location a mobile device has entered or is entering (e.g., when there are multiple venue locations close together as in a pedestrian shopping environment). As such, a user is typically prompted to conduct a manual step to select from multiple potential venue locations associated with initial estimated location. Another potential drawback is that individuals may attempt to spoof or otherwise game a check-in process by, for example, generating check-in messages to a location based service provider for a venue location when in-fact the mobile device and user are not actually visiting a venue location.
Hence, there is an on-going need for techniques that allow a location based service provider to determine that a mobile device is indeed located at a venue location and/or which may allow for better venue location selection and/or check-in processes.